Housing chaos, policy puzzles, missing money, the one nonprofit you truly have to hear to believe, and will there be a 2026 Beautiful Altadena calendar—Episode 22 has it all.

We kick off the episode with the real estate roller coaster gripping our post-fire communities: homes in Altadena clocking in at $1,000 per square foot and the Palisades market sinking 40%. Whether rising or plummeting, the numbers tell a story of a housing market still trying to find its post-fire equilibrium. We break down this year’s extensive LA Times coverage—a series of articles that investigate what's going on but never quite name the larger systemic story lurking beneath. Next, we revisit the Climate Resiliency District (CRD) now being proposed for the Palisades. But unlike Altadena, where the CRD was effectively dropped from above, Palisades residents are at least getting a $300,000 exploratory committee to understand what they’re signing up for. We also dust off one of Steve’s classics from the AltaPolicyWonk Substack: the golf course debacle and the the big decisions that get made behind closed doors. And speaking of accountability… there’s a new investigation into the FireAid funds, and—spoiler alert—it appears very little of that money made its way to actual fire victims. 

And yes—this is our first shorter episode since October, and honestly, we’re proud of ourselves. You're welcome. 

Our Small Biz Shoutout this week may be the wildest yet: Only Philanthropy. Think OnlyFans, but every dollar raised goes directly to fire victims. Their tagline“Using the Male Gaze to Fight the Blaze” is as unforgettable as their mission. Learn more on their website or follow them on social at @onlyphilanthropy.

Recorded December 9, Episode 21 takes listeners through a pivotal week in our community’s recovery and resilience. We begin the episode with a milestone worth celebrating: the first homes rebuilt in both Altadena and the Palisades, but there's always more to the story. Then we turn to local spirit with a recap of the 105th Christmas Tree Lane lighting—a tradition that refuses to dim no matter how dark the year. Our media roundup pulls no punches, even if much of the press seems intent on that status quo. We look at Governor Newsom’s failed push in Washington for additional CDBG-DR funds, and the quieter but far more consequential story: his veto of AB 797, a decision that could have eased financial pressure for fire-impacted communities like Altadena and the Palisades months ago but would have shifted control away from those intent on keeping it.

And in a preview of next week’s deep dive, we open the door to one of the most urgent emerging issues: Altadena's water districts. Specifically, we highlight the Las Flores Water Company’s special meeting this Thursday, December 11 at the Altadena Library, where they’ll discuss the proposed “Fire Recovery Charge”—a fee expected to hit at least $3,000 per household. What’s happening, why it matters, and what it could mean for residents starts here.

This week’s Small Biz Shoutout goes to Cleo’s Critter Care—a local gem with an incredible story. Follow Cleo’s journey and her search for a new home on Instagram @cleoscrittercare and show some love to those who give so much to our community with her GoFundMe as she looks for a new location post-fire. 

We kick of this episode with a media roundup and the biggest headline yet: Altadena on the cover of TIME Magazine. The digital story is live now, and the print issue hits stands on December 8. (Yes, both Steve and Shawna are quoted).  Our town’s story, its failures and its resilience, is now a national story. Altadena was also the feature of a Spectrum News Thanksgiving Special, where Tyler of Betsy shared an unflinching, deeply personal account of losing his marriage, home, and business and the depression that followed, and how his team pulled him back from the edge. Shawna highlighted how the Beautiful Altadena group has become one big support group for more than 10,000 Altadenans.  Next, we turn to the LA Times’ Measure G reporting from Rebecca Ellis, covering something many in Altadena have felt for some time: The majority of Angelenos surveyed have lost faith in County government and believe their communities would be better off on their own. We also talk about our fire “sister city,” the Palisades, as they approach the one-year anniversary of their fire. They’re heading into the milestone with grief, anger, and action — including a protest they're calling They Let Us Burn. Their struggle mirrors ours, and their anniversary is another reminder of how communities left behind must keep up the fight and lead themselves. We return to the question of philanthropy and the ongoing role the nonprofit world, a well-funded “shadow government” that answers to donors instead of residents, continues to play in our recovery.

Threaded through all of this is a single, unavoidable truth — unity is no longer optional. Altadena and the Palisades. Fire communities across the county. And right here at home, where groups, orgs, and leaders still working in silos must come together before it’s too late.

This week’s small business spotlight shines on the Altadena Healing Village (@altadenahealingvillage), whose Healing Sundays provide massage, acupuncture, reiki, sound baths, and real community care, all by volunteers at no cost.

And as we wrap the week, the Altadena Chamber’s Citizen and Business of the Year nominations deadline has just passed. Hot take. Give it to the whole town. Everyone still here, still doing the work, still fighting for their neighbors and their future, they’ve all earned the recognition.

We're back from a Thanksgiving break with a long one. In Episode 19 we step back from the rubble and zoom out to the national landscape — because what’s happening in Altadena is playing out on a national stage. We dig into local government failure from the national perspective, why communities like ours are repeatedly left to rebuild ourselves, and how the latest political maneuvers, including the first draft of Supervisor Barger’s new CRD (Climate Resiliency District) brought to you by SRP's SB782 continue to rewrite reality. No La Cañada? No Pasadena? More omissions, more distortions from what we were told, and once again… Altadena rebuilding Altadena.

We also dive into the growing concerns around the incomplete Army Corps of Engineers cleanup, the unanswered questions piling up, and the ongoing pattern of accountability with no accountable party. Who’s in charge? Who’s responsible? And why is no one addressing the gaps?

On the brighter side, we’re celebrating a season full of small business and community strength. We recap recent events, including the Rhythms of the Village Fall Festival at Muir (@rhythmsofthevillage), the long-awaited reopening of Mariposa Junction (@mariposajunction), and last weekend’s Winter Bloom (@odysseycharter) and Ornaments for Altadena celebrations at the Odyssey campus.

Mark your calendars:

✨ Winter Market at Plant Material (@plantmaterial) — December 13 & 14, 10am–4pm, at Lincoln & Altadena Drive

✨ The 105th Christmas Tree Lane Lighting (@christmastreelane_altadena) on Saturday, December 13, featuring a hyper-local makers market in the Altadena Library parking lot (@altadenalibrary). Support the small businesses who support our community!

Another long episode recorded as we approach the one-year anniversary of the Eaton Fire, this episode examines the questions that still hang in the air. The questions that will shape not only how we remember the fire, but how we rebuild from it. We reflect on the narratives emerging from the reporting over the past year and the political realities behind them. Which electeds will step forward as true champions — and which will let Altadena be overlooked again? What assumptions were made in the early days of the fire, from promises to implement reforms to hopes for better planning… and which of those were never fulfilled? Density, rebuilding, and urban planning. Is there a Master Plan guiding the reconstruction of Altadena? The ongoing lack of acountability. What have officials actually done to ensure responsibility for the response, the rebuild, and community support? And what does this all mean for the 2026 and 2028 elections, locally and nationally?

These are just a few of the themes shaping this moment — themes raised by residents, journalists, and community leaders who understand that the way we document disaster shapes how we recover from it.

We also touch on major national developments this week, including the Prop 50 ruling and Texas redistricting being overturned, and what these shifts signal about political accountability across the country.

This week, our small business spotlight is all about Altadena’s fall and holiday events: 

✨ Betsy (@betsynotbetsys) — Making Eater’s Best New Restaurants in America

 ✨ Mariposa Junction (@mariposajunction) — Reopening November 22, 10–2 at Lake & Mariposa (postponed for rain)

 ✨ Rhythms of the Village — Village Fall Festival at Muir (@rhythmsofthevillage) — Nov 22, 12–5

Note: This episode was originally published the week of November 18 ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and due to a technical issue was re-published on December 2. 

As the one-year anniversary approaches, the journalists are circling—and so are the headlines. In this episode of After the Ashes, we sift through the news storm hitting Altadena: FEMA’s Acting Administrator steps out (and what that really signals for future disasters), SCE skipping out on a Black community town hall while KBLA and local reporters press for answers, Disney’s sudden Charles White Park announcement that wasn't welcomed by all, and the lingering question from another newsroom—why wasn’t Altadena’s gas shut off when the Palisades was? As Shawna says, there’s so much fuckery afoot it’s hard to keep up, but we try.

We dig into development realities coming into sharp focus: the rise of mini-mansions and two-story ADUs, revisiting SB9 and promises about protecting community character, and asking whether we’ve lost the war or just this battle. And a petition concerning the uptick in foreclosures that's circulating.

And this week’s small business spotlight shines on Two Dragons Martial Arts, where Sipoo’s battle to buy the studio’s land (featured in multiple media stories) shows what it looks like when local entrepreneurs take on developers and refuse to be pushed out.

It’s Episode 17 and we're keeping it raw and real, and rooted in community. Let’s get into it.

Note: This episode was originally published the week of November 18 ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and due to a technical issue was re-published on December 2. 

As we move closer to the one-year mark in January, After the Ashes takes stock of where Altadena’s recovery really stands — and what the next twelve months might bring.

We look at the rebuild by the numbers: 520 unique parcel permits issued and 334 active new builds now under inspection. Progress, yes — but uneven, and often inaccessible to those still navigating insurance, red tape, financial challenges and displacement.

From there, we turn to DC post Steve's recent trip. With the government shutdown and Democrats caving, the healthcare battle, and what all of this means for California and all of us. 

And we end with a difficult but necessary conversation: excess deaths, suicides, and other fire-related losses that haven't made headlines, but continue to shape our community’s emotional and physical landscape.

Through data, stories, and shared accountability, we’re asking, how far have we come, and who’s still waiting for recovery to reach them?

This week's small biz shoutouts go to Tyler Well's (of Betsy @betsynotbetsys) who is continuing to invest in Altadena and on track to open his second all day concept at Mariposa Junction, plus Mariposa Junction's Grand Reopening on November 15. 

Welcome back to After the Ashes, a Beautiful Altadena podcast where we dig into what’s really happening in our foothill community — from rebuilding after disaster to rebuilding trust. In Episode 15, we unpack a full slate of local headlines and hard questions:

Election season brought us decisions on Prop 50 and new faces for the Altadena Town Council — but what do these results actually mean?

EFRU’s latest findings on post-remediation contamination have many homeowners — especially renters, seniors, and those without funds — facing troubling realities. We break down the press conference, media coverage, and what it all means moving forward.

The Dawes benefit concert for the Altadena Foundation for Rebuilding (through PCF) sounds inspiring — but community voices are asking: where exactly are these dollars going?

Plus, we talk SB9, finger-pointing, and the county’s quiet push toward densification under the banner of “growth.”

And before we wrap — our Beautiful Altadena in person events are making a slow return. Don’t miss our Beautiful Altadena Friendsgiving Pie Night at Adelaide, November 23! RSVP through the Eventbrite link shared in our group and bring your favorite pie to share.

This episode’s small business spotlight shines on EZ Halal Market — part of the Hen’s Teeth Plaza at Los Robles and Woodbury (@ezhalalmarket), alongside dym Books & Boba (hosting tons of community events, including Mahjong Mondays, @dympasadena) and Kings Breakfast & Burgers (@kings_bnb). Follow them all on Instagram, and catch more of their opening stories we wrote last year on our Beautiful Altadena Substack.

After the fires, after the headlines — we’re still here, still asking, and still rebuilding.

In this episode we’re talking about the silence that speaks volumes — the sound of neglect. As we head into the Altadena Town Council elections (November 1st, 4th, and 8th), we break down what the ATC actually is, who’s running, and why this year’s vote may actually matter. If you’ve ever wondered whether local elections really affect recovery and accountability, this episode’s for you.

We also check in on the Altadena for Accountability campaign and the coalition’s ongoing push to get Attorney General Rob Bonta to do his job by compelling an independent investigation with subpoena power into our county’s fire response, or lack thereof. When leadership fails to act, silence isn’t peace, it’s neglect.

Our small business shoutouts this week go to a couple of local legends:

• Kismet Rotisserie — who were just days away from opening on Lincoln when the fire hit, and who came back strong, serving the best rotisserie chicken around. Follow them online @kismetrotisserie
• Ferrazzani’s — where Leah Ferrazzani and team are celebrating 11 years of handmade pasta, gelato, and Italian pantry magic. Find them online @ferrazzanispastaandmarket

On this episode the bit dog always squeals — and this time it’s coming straight from Sacramento. Governor Newsom’s last-minute legislation, SB 254, quietly lets Southern California Edison further off the hook, shifting more of the recovery burden back onto fire victims. And while some of our elected representatives claim they “didn’t know” this would happen… They knew.

Today SCE dropped its final Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program Protocol. With fifty-plus red-line changes, the offer somehow managed to get worse than the original draft. We always expected pennies on the dollar, but this latest version — released after “community feedback sessions” — is even harder to swallow.

As our Beautiful Altadena attorney Kipp Mueller told The New York Times today:

If you’re uninsured and need quick relief, this may be a path worth considering. But for everyone else, don’t waste your time. Buckle down with your trusted attorneys. The fight isn’t over.

Meanwhile, LA County quietly paid its CEO $2 million in an unreported settlement — a story first broken by LAist and later confirmed as a buy-off. For fire victims wondering where our public dollars go, there’s one answer.

And this episode's small business shout-outs go to:

• George’s Liquor — now reopened with limited hours at Lincoln & Altadena. Find them online @georges.liquor.altadena
• Altadena Cookie Co. — now with a brick-and-mortar home of their own that soft opened today at Lincoln & Altadena, adjacent Unincorporated Coffee and George's and Lucy's. Follow them online @altadenacookieco
• Ganahl Lumber’s Contractor’s Desk — always gracious and community-minded and a nice alternative to Home Depot @ganahllumberco